History Main / FlatWhat

!!Examples:

[[folder:Fan Works]]
%%(Not sure what the title is and the page won't load)* Alphonse and Hohenheim have [[http://www.cryogenia.com/~dragnl/Valiant/Supernova/?directory=.¤tPic=8 this reaction]] to Edward's {{determinator}}-style declaration in a ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' doujin.
* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': This is Stage One of Vivienne's reaction when Mariko delivers the first clear hint that [[ParentalSubstitute Serizawa]] is dead. Later, Tejada delivers a Flat What over comms when informed that Ghidorah's severed head [[spoiler:has disappeared]].
* ''Fanfic/AdviceAndTrust'':
** In chapter 4 Asuka utters one after finding out that Shinji had accidentally touched Rei's breasts once.
--->''Asuka narrowed her eyes. "Yes, that was a sudden, convenient little 'accident' you had out there. What was Wondergirl about to say? You touched her somewhere?"\\
"Umm..."\\
"He touched my right breast," Rei calmly supplied.\\
Asuka stared at her, mouth gaping. "What." She shook her head. "Explain, rapidly."''
** In chapter 8, Asuka starts explaining Shinji her plan to simultaneously tell Misato that they are together and have her accepting that they are also sleeping together.
--->'''Shinji:''' Ok, so what's our first plan?\\
'''Asuka:''' Strip chess.\\
'''Shinji:''' What.
%%* ''Fanfic/{{Adjacency}}'': From [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/144314/5/adjacency/chapter-5-scattered "Scattered"]]:%%Quotes aren't context.
%%-->Her eyes traced over every new, magically-enhanced feature of Trixie's mirror, staring at disbelief at what she beheld. From the brightly shining doorway, to the now ethereal constellations in the place of paint, to the almost holographic ring of magic sparkling around the rightmost star of Orion's Belt. All of the imperfections in the wooden frame had vanished. Even the glue seams which used to conjoin the fancier pieces of trim had melded together into solid wood. None of it made any sense to the logical portion of her mind.\\
Twilight deadpanned, "...What." The single word all she could manage to strangle out.
* ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'': Izuku gives this response when the man he'd electrocuted by accident introduces himself as [[ComicBook/SpiderMan Peter Parker]], who is [[ComicBooksAreReal supposed to be fictional]].
* In the ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' fanadventure ''Webcomic/BeTheSeaDwellerLowblood'', Karkat does this thrice after finding out that [[spoiler:Eridan, on top of breaking into (and locking Karkat out of) his private quarters, has been using his Trollian account to troll his friends, [[OutGambitted out-manipulating Vriska]] and single-handedly rescuing [[LaResistance an organization devoted to upthrowing Aradia (and Karkat)]] from the hands of one of Karkat's best (and certainly closest) legislacerators.]]
* ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/16267331/chapters/42084791#workskin Black Hole Heart]]'': Team 7 gets a mission to protect a runner in a race that will determine which of two gangs will run a town. Sakura's reaction to the briefing combines this with PunctuatedForEmphasis.
-->'''Sakura:''' What. The actual. Fuck.
* ''Fanfic/BraveNewWorld'': Given the frequency of positively bizarre crap that happens, one can hardly blame [[OnlySaneMan Pikachu]] for reacting this way often. You know it's approaching critical mass when [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Leo]] does it though.
* ''Fanfic/TheBridge'':
** Anguirus pops this upon first encountering an erratically flying Derpy Hooves.
** Rodan pops this after receiving a letter asking him to join Rainbow Dash in performing an air show.
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11376451/8/Celestia-takes-a-vacation Celestia takes a Vacation]]'': Celestia tends to induce these whenever she decides to [[TheGadfly screw with people for her own amusement]], such as reacting to [[Literature/TheFamiliarOfZero Princess Henrietta]] entering the room by loudly declaring her plot foiled and teleporting away with Siesta, with whom she'd been having tea.
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13135713/45/Certain-Dark-Things Certain Dark Things]]'': Snape says it when he learns that Harriet hasn't been seen in Little Whinging since the previous August.
* ''Fanfic/ACertainMagicalFriendship'': ''Context_SHIFT''[[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/287615/6/a-certain-magical-friendship-context-shift/round-up-the-stragglers-resurgence-part-two "Round up the stragglers - RESURGENCE_part_two"]]: After plain dirt, well, loamy earth, is used to attack her. Which is the most basic weapon used against her in a battle between magical groups:
-->Nightmare Moon opened her mouth, paused for a second, then said a word in the flattest tone Applejack had ever heard, even flatter than when she had said this word earlier tonight.\\
"What."
* In ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfTheStars'', upon waking to a situation that's already taxing her mind, Keleria is further confused by Ayuri saying she's taken a courier job leading to Stranglethorn Vale.
-->''Keleria blinked, feeling about as intelligent as a suffocating fish, "what."''
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11685814/9/Children-of-the-Sun Children of the Sun]]'' this is Draco's reaction to Harry's statement that his golden anaconda familiar got the defensive runes on its body by protecting him from his abusive Muggle relatives.
* In ''Fanfic/CrossCases'', total incredulity is Harry's reaction to Sam claiming he's from an alternate reality.
-->'''[[Series/{{Supernatural}} Sam Winchester]]:''' "This isn't my reality."\\
'''[[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden]]:''' "What."
* ''Fanfic/ACrownOfStars'':
** In chapter 32:
--->''Daniel flinched slightly at something and put a hand to the side of his head. "Ow. Alright, before half my children jump in with suggestions, I'm going to head them off with at least one of my own; You need to stand right up, put your right hand on your hip, your left hand in the air, and start signing the 'I'm A Little Teapot' song while Asuka throws pies at you and I play the accordion."\\
Shinji stared at him. Asuka's head came up off Shinji's chest and joined in. "What," they said flatly in stereo.''
** Chapter 74 provided a rare non-humorous example:
--->''"Ching, come with me. Asuka, you should stay here," Shinji said, avoiding Asuka's eyes.\\
"What." Asuka's voice was dangerously flat.''
* In ''Fanfic/DGrayManAbridged'', there is a short starring Kanda and Allen:
-->'''Kanda:''' Hey Allen. You're a bean sprout.\\
'''Allen:''' Your mom's a bean sprout.\\
'''Kanda:''' Your beansprout's a mom!\\
'''Allen:''' ...What.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10290918/8/Dead-Man-Walking Dead Man Walking]]'' this is Ron's reaction to a Hufflepuff ducking into his, Harry and Draco's compartment to escape some flying quills.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12783353/1/Deserving-of-More Deserving of More]]'' this is Harry's reaction to being given a toy owl after Draco learns that he received no birthday or Christmas presents while growing up.
* In ''Fanfic/DespairsLastResort'', Takara Tsukuda can only react to Monokuma's appearance with this.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13049901/6/The-difference-a-good-solicitor-makes The Difference a Good Solicitor Makes]]'' this is Ron's reaction to Harry being Sorted into Slytherin.
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13182877/4/Dobby-s-Deceit Dobby's Deceit]]'':
-->'''Harry:''' Where is [Sirius] now? Can I help him somehow?\\
'''Sharptooth:''' You can, in fact, but more about that in a moment. First, it is my duty and my pleasure to inform you that Lord Black officially named you his heir, both in blood and in magic, within minutes of claiming his lordship. You're now the heir to ''two'' magical houses.\\
'''Harry:''' What. He doesn't even know me ... and I don't know what that even means.
* ''Fanfic/DoingItRightThisTime'':
** When Shinji and Asuka meet after the timeline restarts:
--->'''Asuka:''' Trying to stab you when we ran into each other by Misato's memorial was spur of the moment. I've had three months to plan this meet-up. Besides, [...] you masturbating over my comatose body was far from the worst thing to happen to me that week. At least it proved you were too dumb to know when you're being hit on instead of just gay.\\
'''Shinji:''' What.
** In the first draft Misato uttered one when she saw Asuka had been reading "The Ethical Slut":
--->''Misato couldn't help but smile... until she happened to glance at the cover of the book Asuka had been reading, and realized it was a copy of ''The Ethical Slut''. And Asuka had apparently been taking notes.''\\
''What.''
* In ''Fanfic/DragonAgeTheCrownOfThorns'', people occasionally exhibit this reaction when the protagonist issues some strange command, like [[spoiler:telling Branka to make golem-sized pickaxes]].
* ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'':
** Episode 8 gives us a great one: Piccolo and Krillin use the Multi-Form technique to attack Nappa, but Nappa is still able to dodge their attacks. Piccolo ponders what kind of mental discipline Nappa had gone through to be so powerful, but Nappa is simply singing ''Patty-Cake'' in time to his attacks. Afterwards we get this:
--->'''Nappa:''' Good effort, but I'm still the patty-cake champion!\\
'''Piccolo:''' What.
** Another one in Episode 15:
--->'''Vegeta''': Look at you, Dodoria. You're always so damn proud. And now here you are, crying like a woman!\\
'''Dodoria''': [[spoiler: I ''am'' a woman!]]\\

'''Vegeta''': What.
** Aaaand Episode 16:
--->'''Yamcha:''' What the hell? I waxed off everything! I waxed off your car, I waxed off your house, [[ItMakesSenseInContext I even waxed off your monkey]]!\\
'''Piccolo:''' Okay, I just started paying attention - what.
** When the heroes ask for one of the legendary Dragon Balls.
--->'''Nail''': Learn your place, Earthling! you have some nerve demanding-\\
'''Guru''': Here, take it.\\
'''Nail''': I... what.
** Freeza doesn't know how to handle Goku's threats:
--->'''[[SuperMode Super Saiyan]] [[TranquilFury Goku]]:''' I'm going to ''break'' you!\\
'''Freeza:''' What?! ''(gets his hand crushed)'' AUGH!\\
'''Goku:''' [[CutHisHeartOutWithASpoon Like a KitKat bar!]]\\
'''Freeza:''' ...What?
** Here's another one from their ''Bardock Special'':
--->'''Zarbon''': Mm, too bad. And that Bardock was such a dashing rogue.\\
'''Dodoria''': What.
** This was also Shenron's reaction in the ''Christmas Tree of Might'' Christmas Special when the group summons him and go on about the forest being devastated by fire. Naturally Shenron thinks they want him to restore life to the forest, but Krillin's response that nah, [[SkewedPriorities Krillin just wants a great Christmas tree first]] makes Shenron do a Flat What, then marks his breaking point from being a BenevolentGenie into a JackassGenie.
* In ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/850294/chapters/1668533 Empire's Gleam]]'', a [[PeggySue time-traveling]] Series/{{Merlin|2008}} has this reaction when Arthur states he would never bring his manservant out hunting or on campaign with him.
* Happens in ''Ewar's Tale'' once, when the signature characters meets a pair of bats that he thought were spirits, the Author seems self-aware too for some reason.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14009079/108/The-Family-that-Chooses-You The Family that Chooses You]]'' Alicia and Angelina have a talk with Katie about her and Harry's relationship.
-->'''Alicia:''' I hope you remember this, when it comes to naming your children.\\
'''Katie:''' What.
* In ''Fanfic/FateRevelationOnline'' Johnny Black responds this way in a hint corner chapter when Gilgamesh says Johnny doesn't belong in the bad-guy hint corner.
* In ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7181421/3/From-the-End-to-the-Start From the End to the Start]]'' this is Hermione's reaction to Luna's statement that pudding, according to her mother, "can be served for medicinal purposes for poison consumption and for irritable bowels."
* A RunningGag in ''Fanfic/GloriousShotgunPrincess'', whenever someone from the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' universe is exposed to the over-the-top martial-arts "bullshit magic" of the ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' setting or just about anything that [[BigGood Autochthon]] [[ScienceHero does]] [[MadScientist or]] [[CloudCuckoolander says.]]
** Becomes really hilarious when [[spoiler: a ''Reaper'']] does it.
** Admiral Hackett's reaction to seeing [[spoiler: raptors escaping from the crew quarters (read: a private tropical beach)]] is a simple 'Oh god what the fuck'
*** Presumably many readers had a similar reaction when Hackett [[spoiler:started beating the crap out of said raptors and even ''suplexing one!'']]
* Draco Malfoy has this reaction in ''Fanfic/HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality'' when told that Harry needed a bit of cash, after using the money he'd ''stolen from his own Gringotts vault'' to buy a gift for Hermione Granger. Exactly which part of that the Flat What is in response to is left to the reader.
** Harry also ends the first chapter with one.
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4308180/20/Harry-Potter-and-The-Power-of-The-Coven Harry Potter and the Power of the Coven]]'':
-->'''Ariadne:''' We are highly trained, highly skilled assassins. Part of Dumbledore's own original Order of the Phoenix, a branch that no one was aware existed.\\
'''Snape:''' What.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7116136/6/Harry-Potter-Wishing-for-a-friend Harry Potter Wishing for a friend]]'' this is [=McGonagall=]'s reaction to learning that Dumbledore and Grindlewald were lovers.
* When Sola-Ui worries about Berserker - suspected to be Achilles - allying with Lancer for ''personal'' motives in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7514983/8/Holding-Back-the-Sea Holding Back the Sea]]'', Kayneth playfully suggests to let Lancer ''handle crafting'' the alliance. Needless to say, the Servant does ''not'' appreciate the joke.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies''/''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' crossover ''[[http://cartoon.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=600095039 How I Learned to Love the Wild Horse]]'' Mandy has this reaction when she finds out Alex, Clover, and Sam are spies, and have been, "Since freshman year."
* When Sam Wilson tells Natasha Romanov that [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext the Winter Soldier broke into his hotel room and traded him macaroni and cheese with bacon for his iPod Touch]] in ''Fanfic/IfTheyHaventLearnedYourName'', it turns out to be so far outside all expectations she had that she feels something in her brain short-circuit, and asks if that's supposed to be code.
* ''Fanfic/InvaderZimABadThingNeverEnds'': This is Fizzmitz's reaction in Chapter 14 when told that Professor Membrane's home security system includes an AttackDrone specifically for the sake of fighting Santa.
* Understandably, this is [[Franchise/MassEffect Miranda Lawson's]] reaction to the Illusive Man telling her to turn Shepard into a man/woman/robot/werewolf/gun hybrid[[note]]He wants Shepard to be given laser eyes and a vagina ''and'' be turned into a werewolf[[/note]] in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11521278/1/It-Got-Loose-and-Killed-All-Our-Guys-The-Project-Lazarus-Story It Got Loose and Killed All Our Guys: The Project Lazarus Story]]''.
* In the ''Fanfic/KedaborysMuppetMania'' episode "Welcome Back", Miss Piggy's reaction to hearing that Annie Sue has a number in the show and she doesn't is a TranquilFury-laced "''What.''"
* In ''Fanfic/TheKeysStandAlone: The Soft World'', John traps a number of adventurers neck-deep in mud and Ringo goes to talk to them. One of the adventurers says to him, in effect, "Hurry up and torture us and get it over with already!" To which the ActualPacifist Ringo responds: "Y'what?"
* Continuing the tendency marked by [[Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya his canon counterpart]], Kyon in ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero'' gives a Flat What when Haruhi announces that, due to Kyon inadvertently making her believe he was upset with her, [[InsaneTrollLogic she can no longer trust him to put his costume on by himself]] and asks Yuki to hold him down.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12941080/10/The-Last-Dark-Lord The Last Dark Lord]]'' Ginny invokes the Life Debt she owes Harry while under the belief that he's ignorant of the proper ritual responses.
-->'''Harry:''' She came in here to die. Sorry.\\
'''Hermione:''' What.
* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' fanfic "[[https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/like-mother-like-skitter-worm-au.378117/page-21#post-21113162 Like Mother Like Skitter]]", Tattetale has this reaction when a notorious, psychopathic serial killer breaks into her loft and tells that he wants her team's services "in helping a young woman come to terms with her sexuality!"
* In ''Fanfic/MonstersInParadise'', this has become the characters' stock response to anything absurd enough to break their thought processes, [[spoiler: such as Skarmory's ability cancelling out Flandre's]]. Marisa eventually lampshades this:
--> "Say it. You know you want to."
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12306271/1/More-Powerful-Than-Magic More Powerful Than Magic]]'' this is Abraxas' reaction to Harry appearing in Malfoy Manor after Draco wishes for him to be there.
* ''Fanfic/NewVegasShowtime'': Ryuji's reaction to Klein (a BrainInAJar completely detached from his former humanity) describing his fingers as "hand penises" is a deadpan "...my what now?".
* In ''Fanfic/OneForAllAndEightForTheNinth'', it is quite the common reaction when someone drops a bombshell.
** Izuku nearly does it when Mei drags him so they can "make some babies together" (i.e. build support items).
** Yoichi when Izuku bonds with Mei.
** Inko when she sees the limousine waiting to take her and Izuku to Momo's house.
** David Shield when All Might mentions his "adoption" of Izuku.
** Bakugo when he's told he's legally a villain.
** Izuku when Todoroki shares his belief that Izuku is All Might's son. And again when Todoroki states that Izuku's making things worse for him.
** Nana when Endeavor becomes the first person ''ever'' to fully respond to one of Izuku's mumblestorms.
** Monoma when Akira asks him to copy his Quirk.
** Hitoshi when Yoichi possesses Izuku's body after he used Brainwashing on the latter.
** Todoroki when Izuku appears to be fighting him without using his Quirk. And when Izuku begins to point out how him not using his full power could backfire.
** Hitoshi when Ochako reveals that All Might is Izuku's unofficial father.
** Izuku when Yui says people think he was fighting Quirkless against Todoroki.
** Nighteye after Izuku declares he won't let him kill Mirio. And when Izuku mentions Nana.
** The Vestiges when Izuku sees Nighteye in the PoseOfSupplication.
** Inko when Nezu reveals Eri's attachment to Izuku.
** Tenya when Gran Torino states he's happy that Tenya {{Loophole Abuse}}d his way to confront Stain without breaking the law or his word not to fight him.
** Denki when Izuku reveals he's polyamorous.
** The Vestiges when Eri calls Izuku "Papa" for the first time.
** Izuku when Tsuyu states she thinks Ibara doesn't approve of her.
** Melissa when Denki suggests he and Mina can out-stupid Nezu to pass the practical exam.
** Melissa when she reaches Level 2.
** [[spoiler:Hisashi]] when the Yaoyorozus mention Izuku in relation to Momo.
** Izuku when Ryouji reveals he and Isamu were married.
** Izuku when Star and Stripe states she's wanted to meet him for months.
** Izuku when All Might begins to imply he might be interested in dating Inko.
** Izuku after Yui and Momo reveal their joint present for his birthday.
** Yui when Izuku points out the guys in her class had crushes on her.
** Kota when Izuku tells him he didn't get his Quirk until a few months earlier.
** All for One when Izuku doesn't show signs of being scared in spite of him using a Quirk to induce that effect.
** Izuku when he learns a reporter (Curious) was asking if the League is trying to recruit him.
** Ragdoll when Izuku uses Search.
** [[spoiler:All For One after All Might reveals that he already knows that Tomura Shigaraki is Tenko Shimura.]]
** Aoyama lets out a "[[GratuitousFrench Quoi]]" after Izuku offers to modify his body to acclimate to his Quirk.
** Re-Destro when he learns [[spoiler:someone's investigating [[PropagandaMachine Shoowaysha Publishing]]'s finances]].
* In the ''Manga/SoulEater'' oneshot ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10677407/1/Oblivion Oblivion]]'', this is Shaula's reaction when Medusa, after [[BigBrotherBully abusing her younger sister all throughout their childhood]] and continually mocking her and hitting her when they meet again as adults, demands that Shaula help her with one of her experiments.
* In the ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' fanfic [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5972992/1/Proper_Equipment Proper Equipment]], Yuuno gives one in response to hearing that his new device Raising Heart is designed for long-range offensive magic. Apparently Mazda, the Scrya clan matriarch who gave it to him, didn't realize that he specialized in defensive and support magic, or that he was actually a boy.
* Poor Hayato in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11868249/1/Red-like-the-Storm Red like the Storm]]'' when Harry crashes his training camp on a bike, pursued by Squalo insulting her and Skull riding an octopus. [[ItMakesSenseInContext Yeah...]]
** Then you have Mukuro in Chapter 17 when Harry is replaced by her future self who CurbStomp[=s=] the Estraneo Famiglia, offers him chocolate - his favourite kind! - and a ''kiss on his forehead'' then manages to talk the Vindice into letting her go. The kid is left speechless and frankly, can you blame him for it?
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10982267/9/The-Rivalry The Rivalry]]'':
-->'''Harry:''' It isn't that I thought it was worth it, it's that I wasn't willing to go back to nothing. This pain was something, even if it was pain, and anything was better than nothing. But now...now I miss nothing. And I don't want to hurt anymore.\\
'''Draco:''' Nothing is over-rated. It keeps your head clear and it keeps people at a distance but you'll never be happy. You can't be happy when you have nothing. Awards and galleons and large houses with empty rooms can never fill the spaces inside of us that ache against our will. Some of us choose this path. You don't have to be one of them.\\
'''Harry:''' You seem fine with it.\\
'''Draco:''' What.
* ''Fanfic/RubyPair'': This is Tenn's reaction in "My Fair Tenn", upon hearing that [[spoiler: GIR, who isn't even a contestant, [[DarkHorseVictory is taking first place in the beauty pageant]] rather than her]].
* ''[[WebVideo/SailorMoonAbridged Sailor Moon Abridged the Movie: Promise of the Lost Rose]]''
-->'''Kisenian:''' Fiore, go! Kill him! He's shitfaced; it'll be easy.\\
'''Fiore:''' But... he's my lover.\\
'''Kisenian:''' ... What.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12794332/8/Scars-in-the-Moonlight Scars in the Moonlight]]'' Kitty says this when Fred and George nickname her "Rin" after she introduces herself as "Catherine".
* ''Fanfic/SecondWind'': Buggy gives one of these when Luffy proposes to do nothing while the former executes him.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12662216/1/Sharing-Is-Caring Sharing Is Caring]]'' this is Draco's reaction to Harry's comment that Hermione spelled him and Ron to look and feel seven months pregnant for a week after Ron made an unwise remark about Hermione's own pregnancy.
* Several characters in the ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' fanfic ''Fanfic/SilverBlood'' demonstrate this reaction, usually to unexpected information. Brendan seems to be a particular cause for them, one notable example being when he [[spoiler: caught Domino off-guard by turning her attempt to fight into an impromptu dance with her.]]
* Happens fairly often in the ''Anime/YuGiOh'' fanfic ''Fanfic/SkinUsagiSquared'', more often than not followed by a BigWhat when the weirdness factor hits critical mass.
* Atem in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/16011671/chapters/38763062 Slightly Haunted]]'' gives this response when Yugi informs him almost everyone in Japan can read (in Atem's time, this was restricted to scribes and certain members of the upper class).
* ''Fanfic/SpontaneousEarth'': During ''First Construction (In Metal)'', a Federal Coordinating Officer expresses concerns about there being fall flooding caused by rain if they don't get the rivers cleared, referring to the time of year as "when the water tries to come through." Prowl, who has been studying human history but comes from a planet without flowing water, interprets the statement as referring to a harvest festival where flooding is seen as a blessing and tells the FCO that transporting the water can wait. After a {{beat}}, the FCO asks if Cybertron has a water cycle; Prowl's response is "A what."
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10413116/27/Starfall Starfall]]'':
-->'''Harry:''' Sirius was in prison for years, and he was the last heir to the house. His mum--Walburga--died sometime in the eighties, I think. And when he was here, he didn't have much motivation to keep the place up.\\
'''Draco:''' The house-elf should have.\\
'''Harry:''' Kreacher was depressed, and didn't want to serve Sirius, and mostly wanted to be dead and have his head chopped off so it could be put on the wall like all the other house-elf heads.\\
'''Draco:''' ''What.''
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13059477/13/Step-back-in-time Step Back in Time]]'' Harry explains that the locket [[SoulJar Horcrux]] being in a particular location in his timeline doesn't necessarily mean it's in the same place.
-->'''Dumbledore:''' You have been to Grimmauld Place, my boy. Could you feel it?\\
'''Harry:''' What. With all the other dark magic in that house? You want me to pick out just one item?
* ''[[Fanfic/TheUltimateEvil The Stronger Evil]]'': [[Characters/TheUltimateEvil Shendu]] reacts this way when Valerie asks if their binding can be undone.
* ''Fanfic/SurrogateOfZero'': In this fic, the ghost of Asuka narrates all what her husband Shinji does, and she has a... very particular style, and Shinji - who is [[MindlinkMates mind-linked to her]] - sometimes has this kind of reaction:
-->'''Asuka:''' The waters are red, not like blood, but the broken dreams of Communism.\\
'''Shinji:''' What.
* ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'':
** This, along with sarcastic laughter and WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises, is Kirito's reaction when Rosalia suggests that Silica, who's been following him around, has "found someone on her level."
** Asuna has this response when she wakes up from a nap to see Kirito smirking at her, and after she draws her sword on him, he confesses that he [[FaceDoodling drew cat whiskers on her face.]] More specifically, she's shocked [[ArentYouGoingToRavishMe that's]] ''[[ArentYouGoingToRavishMe all]]'' [[ArentYouGoingToRavishMe he did to her.]]
** Suguha reacts this way when Kirito finally introduces himself in ''Alfheim Online'', letting her figure out that the Spriggan she was just [[TheRoleplayer roleplaying]] with as Princess Leafa is actually her much-ridiculed brother, Kazuto. [[SurpriseIncest Whom she complimented for his "sweet patootie."]] ''Then'' she logs out and the ClusterFBomb begins.
* ''Fanfic/TalesOfTheCanterlotDeportationAgency'': ''Luna Vs. The Law Machine'': [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/273171/1/tales-of-the-canterlot-deportation-agency-luna-vs-the-law-machine/cleaning-up-the-town "Cleaning Up The Town"]]: When faced the idea of a criminal just admitting his crimes:
--> "You have ''never'' seen a trial get put together so fast," the voice reflected. "Jury! Judge! Snack machine refilled in the hallway! And when the first gavel came down, do you know what that particular incursion did?"\\
The laugh went on for a mere three heartbeats, and was all the more agonizing for it.\\
"Admitted everything."\\
Luna blinked.\\
"...what?"
* ''Fanfic/ThisBites'':
** Chapter 14, following TheReveal and Cross' tearful begging to stay on the crew:
-->'''Nami''': ''(solemnly)'' Alright, Cross, we'll let you stay on the crew… But first... you have to answer a few questions for us... Cross, listen to me ''very'' closely. I need to know... How rich are we going to get?\\
'''Cross''': ''(mentally)'' ...what. ''(out loud) What.''
** Chapter 25... several times.
** Chapter 32, during the accidental landing in G-8, when the crew realizes that Vivi and Carue are being pampered in luxury by a barrack of overly-chivalrous Marines.
** Chapter 38, Sengoku goes from FlatWhat to BigWhat when he realizes the island the Straw Hats plan to pillage and burn is Enies Lobby.
* ''Fanfic/TopOfTheLineEditorBug'': In the first story, this is Tak's reaction when Zim declares [[ObliviousToHatred his belief that she's in love with him]].
* From ''Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical'', Snape's reaction to Cedric's reaction to Snape's House roll call:
-->'''Snape:''' Hufflepuff...\\
'''Cedric:''' FIND!\\
'''Snape:''' What.
* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12511998/6/Wind-Shear Wind Shear]]'':
-->'''Charlus:''' And speaking of those great nieces... you made ''quite'' the impression on young Bellatrix.\\
'''Harry:''' ... What?\\
'''Charlus:''' Yes. She has been quite the adamant defender of you to her family. Very... vigorous in making her case. Extremely passionate.\\
'''Harry:''' ... What.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12999230/5/With-Age-Comes-Absurdity With Age Comes---Absurdity?]]'' this is Harry's response to giving birth to twins after believing he was pregnant with only one child.
* In a ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' fic "[[https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/worm-loops-choose-your-own-canon.282371/page-6#post-12872171 Worm Loops]]", Taylor has this reaction when ''[[Manga/AhMyGoddess Belldandy, Urd and Skuld]]'' tell her that, when she manages to get out of the time loops, she'll become another goddess.
-->"The only actual way for you to end the loops is if you were to ascend to a full admin. In order to do that, you need experience. Fortunately, you can gain plenty of that in the loops." She gives me a smile, "The closer you get towards the endpoint the greater control you'll have over your own loops. Eventually, down the road, you will get out of the loops."\\
The three goddesses bowed to me again, smiles on their faces. "And on that day, we will welcome you as one of us."\\
...\\
...\\
...\\
What.
* ''Fanfic/YouGotHaruhiRolled'' uses this on occasion. A notable example is when Haruhi [[spoiler:gets crushed by a blimp]].
* ''Fanfic/RiseOfTheMinisukas'':
** Ritsuko's reaction when Misato lays out her plan to destroy Ramiel:
--->'''Ritsuko:''' ''"Well, you've certainly had worse bases for plans before-."''\\
'''Misato:''' ''"Also we need to hijack Japan's entire supply of electricity."''\\
'''Ritsuko:''' ''"What."''
** Ritsuko again has reaction when Tokita claims the AT field is a hoax.
--->"Ah yes, the 'AT field'. The supposed soul magic barrier the aliens possess that the Eva's can also use. You may have fooled the UN with that nonsense, but I will not be!" What.
** The Jet Alone Kai elicits a double flat what from Shinji when he declares the AT fields are lies and propaganda devised by the ruling class to oppress the proletariat.
--->'''"FALSE. AT-FIELDS ARE A LIE CREATED TO SUPPRESS THE WORKING CLASS."''' ''What.'' '''"YOUR PARLOR TRICKS HAVE NO EFFECT ON ME. NOW DIE."''' The hammer once again bounces off his AT field. '''"CEASE YOUR TRICKERY AND FIGHT FAIR! I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY A LIE PROPAGATED BY REPTOIDS!"''' ''What.''
* ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'':
-->'''Dartz:''' Here's what we're gunnah do, mayn. We're gunnah find Yuu-gay Mowtoe, and we're gunnah take his dayck.\\
'''Rafael:''' What.
* ''WebVideo/YuYuHakushoAbridged'':
-->'''Kuwabara:''' Urameshi... [[ItMakesSenseInContext I need you to finger bang me.]]\\
'''Yusuke:''' What.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AGoofyMovie'': Goofy says this in response to Pete telling him that Max had changed their road map so that they are heading to Los Angeles. Pete also uses this when Goofy says that he doesn't believe him on that.
-->'''Pete:''' Your kid's dupin' ya.\\
'''Goofy:''' What do you mean?\\
'''Pete:''' Well, I heard the little mutant telling PJ that he changed the map so... you're headin' straight to L.A., pal.\\
'''Goofy:''' What.\\
'''Pete:''' Oh, you tried, Goof. He's just a bad kid, that's all.\\
'''Goofy:''' I don't believe you, Pete.\\
'''Pete:''' What.\\
'''Goofy:''' I don't believe you.\\
'''Pete:''' Well, hey, don't take my word for it. Check your map.
* Disney's ''{{WesternAnimation/Aladdin}}'' features a memorable example between [[TheImp Iago]] and [[BigBad Jafar]]:
-->'''Iago:''' To think we gotta keep kissing up to that chump, and his chump daughter for the rest of our lives...\\
'''Jafar:''' No, Iago. Only until she finds a chump husband. Then she'll have us banished--or beheaded!\\
''[Both shudder.]''\\
'''Iago:''' Oh! Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Jafar? What if '''you''' were the chump husband?\\
'''Jafar:''' What.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Hoodwinked}}'': Red Puckett delivers one in reaction to seeing [[CrazyPrepared Japeth]] [[HeliCritter wearing a set of horns that have helicopter blades built into them]].
* ''WesternAnimation/RalphBreaksTheInternet'': When the Disney Princesses start talking about getting inspiration for an IWantSong by staring at a body of water, Vanellope responds with a deadpan "What?"
* In ''WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird'', this is Artie's reaction to Shrek's little FreudianSlip that he's "gonna be a father".
* ''WesternAnimation/StrangeMagic'': The Bog King does this when his princess hostage starts singing about how much she loves him, even though this is the first time they've actually met. She's been [[LovePotion love potioned]] but he doesn't get it until after she's halfway through the song.
* This is Tigress's reaction in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda3'' when Po announces that the pandas are ready for battle after training them.
* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGoVsTeenTitans'' have one of these in the climax, when the two Ravens tries finding a way to defeat [[spoiler:Hexagon]]. Eventually...
--> '''2003 Raven''': [''to her 2013 self''] You have to ''[[spoiler:eat me]]''.\\
[''dramatic pause and close-up on 2013 Raven'']\\
'''2013 Raven''': ...what?
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* In the 2013 movie adaption of Literature/{{Carrie}}, when Tommy asks Carrie to the prom, after a moment of stunned silence this is the only reaction she is able to produce.
--> '''Tommy:''' So you know the prom is next week? I was wondering, if you don't have a date already, maybe you want to go with me?\\
''({{Beat}})''\\

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Creator/DavidLetterman tends to quickly bolt out one if he hears something over the course of his show that's weird or otherwise catches him off-guard.
* Frequently, [[Series/TheDailyShow Jon Stewart]] and [[Series/TheColbertReport Stephen Colbert]] on their respective shows in response to stupid world events.
* Barbara Walters interviewed Herman Cain as one of her most fascinating people of 2011 and gave this when he answered a question about theoretical cabinet positions with he would like to be Secretary of Defense. This from a man who admitted (and demonstrated) he didn't know squat about foreign affairs.
* ''Series/TheApprentice'': This is Lord Sugar's response to Karthik's boast "Give me a laptop, I'll make you a billion-dollar company." For context, this was following the defeat of Karthik's team by over £40,000.
* ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' uses this fairly regularly.
** Perhaps best demonstrated in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4IQjUpTNVU Blackadder teaching Baldrick how to count]]:
--->'''Blackadder:''' Right Baldrick, let's try again shall we? This is called adding. If I have two beans, and then I add two more beans, what do I have?\\
'''Baldrick:''' Some beans.\\
'''Blackadder:''' ''(pause)'' [[MathematiciansAnswer Yes... and no.]] Let's try again, shall we? I have two beans, then I add two more beans. What does that make?\\
'''Baldrick:''' A very small casserole.\\
'''Blackadder:''' Baldrick, the ape creatures of the Indus have mastered this. Now try again. One, two, three...\\
'''Baldrick:''' ''Four!''\\
'''Blackadder:''' So how many are there?\\
'''Baldrick:''' Three.\\
'''Blackadder:''' What.\\
'''Baldrick:''' And that one.\\
'''Blackadder:''' Three... and that one. So if I add that one to the three, what will I have?\\
'''Baldrick:''' Oh! Some beans.\\
'''Blackadder:''' Yes. To you Baldrick, the Renaissance was just something that happened to other people, wasn't it?
* ''Series/BreakingBad'': In the first episode, Jesse asks Walther why he is getting into the meth game at age 50. Walther eventually responds with "I'm awake." This prompts a confused "What?" from Jesse.
* ''Series/TheCatherineTateShow'': Kate (Catherine Tate) insists that Ellen (Ella Kenion) guess how old her salsa instructor thought she was. Ellen guesses 42, prompting a flat "what" from Kate although you can still tell she was restraining her anger.
-->'''Kate:''' Guess how old ''Tony'' thought I was.\\
'''Ellen:''' I ''really'' wouldn't like to.\\
'''Kate:''' Go on, just ''guess''!\\
'''Ellen:''' Forty-two?\\
'''Kate:''' ''What.''\\
'''Ellen:''' Forty-eight?
* ''Series/{{Community}}'', right after Jeff telling off Abed's father for trying to control Abed vaguely backfires:
-->'''Abed's Dad:''' Fine! You want to raise him? You raise him! I'm out!\\
'''Jeff:''' What.
** This was Troy's reaction when Pierce brought his late mother's essence (a lava lamp) to class.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS4E9TheEvilOfTheDaleks The Evil of the Daleks]]", the Second Doctor has just boasted that he's beaten the Daleks, only to be deflated by what the Emperor tells him.
--->'''The Emperor:''' Silence! The Human Factor showed us what the Dalek Factor was.\\
'''The Doctor:''' What?
** The Fourth Doctor was very fond of saying "what".
** The Tenth Doctor gets in at least one of these per season. Often combined with a TripleTake.
*** His first use of it may have been in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E12ArmyOfGhosts "Army of Ghosts"]], [[spoiler: when the Cyber-Leader reveals the Cybus Cybermen didn't build the Void ship that broke the barrier between universes.]]
*** Also used in his first encounter with Donna Noble (at the end of series 2's final episode [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E13Doomsday "Doomsday"]] and again, when the same scene is replayed at the start of [[Recap/DoctorWho2006CSTheRunawayBride "The Runaway Bride"]]), when she suddenly, inexplicably appears out of thin air inside the flying TARDIS and starts berating him.
*** Used exquisitely in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E13LastOfTheTimeLords "Last of the Time Lords"]], [[Recap/DoctorWho2007CSVoyageOfTheDamned "Voyage of the Damned"]] and the mini-episode [[Recap/DoctorWho2007CiNSTimeCrash "Time Crash"]] (which reuse the same scene). The prow of (what looks like) an antiquated (read: early 20th century) ocean-liner smashes through to the interior of the TARDIS (while the TARDIS is ''in space''!) and the Doctor, as any sane man would, responds in surprise. And then repeats himself for emphasis. Finally, upon discovering that the ship is, in fact, the ''Titanic'', he finishes off in a perfectly flat "What."
*** At the end of Jodie Whittaker's run, the Doctor's female incarnation regenerates into the earlier Tenth Doctor who delivers an increasily perplexed triplet of "What?"
** Martha does one in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E3Gridlock "Gridlock"]], when she learns that a ten-mile trip on "the motorway" in New New York will take six years.
** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E1TheEleventhHour "The Eleventh Hour"]], this is Young Amy's reaction when the Doctor tells her that the blue box he crashed in is actually a time machine.
** Eleven's flattest one was probably in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E12ClosingTime "Closing Time"]]:
--->'''Val:''' Well there is the silver rat...\\
'''The Doctor:''' ''[turns around slowly]'' What.
** Yaz gives one in "[[Recap/DoctorWho2022ESLegendOfTheSeaDevils Legend of the Sea Devils]]" when [[spoiler: the Doctor casually mentions having a wife]].
** In “Power of the Doctor”, this is the Fourteeth’s first reaction [[spoiler: as his new form is somehow the Tenth’s!]]
* ''Series/FamilyTies'': This was Alex P. Keaton's response to [[spoiler: Mallory and Nick's decision to get married]].
* ''Series/FullHouse'': In episode 17 of season 7, this is Michelle's reaction to Papouli's death.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
*** In "[[Recap/GameOfThronesS2E5TheGhostOfHarrenhal Harrenhall]]", Tyrion hears from Bronn that the city blames him for its troubles, calling him a "demon monkey".
*** Arya reacts this way after the Waif plays 'the game of faces' with her.
* ''Series/GoodLuckCharlie'':
-->'''Amy:''' I made Charlie, so, in some way, I made that painting too!\\
'''Bob:''' But honey, by that logic, I made that painting too.\\
'''Amy:''' Oh really? So you carried that painting inside of you for nine months?\\
'''Bob:''' What.
%%* Series/HannahMontana uses this at least OncePerEpisode.
* ''Series/{{Life|2007}}'''s Captain Tidwell reverses the usual scenario by using the Flat What as his go-to response to other people's reactions to ''his'' odd comments.
%%* ''Series/{{Lost}}'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcatQSyRK6c&playnext_from=TL&videos=wc-1fGQaFVc a few of these]].
* ''Series/MadMen'':
** Don Draper is fond of this. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsJSRP7cZVo Very fond of this.]]
** Peggy has two when [[spoiler: Stan confesses that he's in love with her]].
* ''Series/TheMuppetShow'': Sam the American Eagle looses a fine one on learning that his requested concerto (Chopin's Polonaise in A-flat) would be played by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdQUKeHuymA The Electric Mayhem.]] Sam is rather famous for these. He has a particularly beautiful one while reading "The Ant and the Grasshopper"; he reads the traditional Aesop's fable until he reaches the last line:
-->'''Sam:''' And so it was, dear listeners... [[spoiler:that the Grasshopper drove his sports car to Florida, and the Ant got stepped on]].\\
''{{beat}}''\\
'''Sam: WHAT.'''
* ''Series/TheOfficeUS'': This is Pam's reaction in the Season 2 finale when Jim confesses his love for her.
* ''Series/{{Poirot}}'': In the 2010 adaptation of ''Literature/MurderOnTheOrientExpress'', Mrs. Hubbard interrupts Poirot's [[SherlockScan evaluation of the crime scene]] by calmly saying that she saw the murderer, eliciting a {{dull|Surprise}} "...Quoi."
* ''Series/PowerRangersMysticForce'': This was Koragg's reaction when Nick rode in to battle on Koragg's own CoolHorse, Catastros. Previously, Koragg had been the ''only'' one able to tame and ride Catastros.
* ''Series/ThePractice''. Murder trial, pretty routine for lawyers, prosecutors, and judge, obviously guilty defendant... and the CommonNonsenseJury surprises everyone with a verdict of Not Guilty. Helen does this, then delivers an epic TheReasonYouSuckSpeech to the jury.
* ''Series/SesameStreet'': Elmo has one of these after the umpteenth time that Zoe insisting her pet rock Rocco is alive, this one in particular coming after Zoe tells Elmo they were late because "Rocco had to go to the potty."
* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': In "A Scandal in Belgravia", right before they go to visit Irene Adler, Sherlock asks John to punch him in the face. This is his response.
* ''Series/{{Skins}}'': Emily launches one when Katie tells her she ''does'' have to ask her who she sleeps with.
* ''Franchise/{{Stargate|Verse}}'':
** Cameron Mitchell of ''Series/StargateSG1'' says "what" with varying inflections so often that he's been accused of using it as his catchphrase. Obviously, at least one Flat What has come up.
** While she doesn't actually say it, [[Series/StargateAtlantis Teyla]]'s facial expression just ''screams'' this upon Sheppard telling her in a matter-of-fact tone what the last two digits of [=McKay=]'s password mean. For reference, the password is 164318791968[[Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy 42]].[[note]]1643: UsefulNotes/IsaacNewton's birth year. 1879: UsefulNotes/AlbertEinstein's birth year. 1968: [[InsufferableGenius Rodney McKay]]'s birth year.[[/note]]
--->'''Sheppard:''' It's the Ultimate Answer to the Great Question of [[Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy Life, the Universe and Everything]].\\
'''Teyla:''' ... ''(slowly turns back to her own computer)''
* Happened quite a few times on ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. One of the funniest ones came from the episode [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS4E15FirstContact "First Contact"]] (not to be confused with [[Film/StarTrekFirstContact the later film of the same name]]) where Riker is trapped while undercover on a planet of aliens and tries to enlist the aid of a nurse to escape from the hospital they're keeping him in.
-->'''Riker:''' Now, will you help me? \\
'''Lanel:''' [[BoldlyComing If you make love to me.]] \\
'''Riker:''' ''<{{beat}}>'' What? \\
'''Lanel:''' I've always wanted to make love with an alien. \\
(Of course, being Riker, he doesn't exactly object.)
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'':
** Lucifer's reaction in "[[Recap/SupernaturalS13E07WarOfTheWorlds The War of the Worlds]]" when the AlternateUniverse[='s=] Kevin starts talking about how Michael is going to take him to "paradise world" in the main universe so he can "meet hot women".
** Dean's reaction in "[[Recap/SupernaturalS15E13DestinysChild Destiny's Child]]" upon hearing that his and Sam's alternate universe counterparts get ''paid'' to hunt monsters.
* ''Series/TeenWolf'': Jackson's reaction at being demoted to co-captain... alongside Scott.
* ''Series/ThirdWatch'': After a bad night, Doc does the math on how much they make on each run. Faith's response to the $13.85 is a Flat What.
* ''Series/{{Titus}}'': Both forms are running gags; the flat what is often used by Ken Titus, usually toward an unseen observer of his behavior.
* ''Series/TorchwoodMiracleDay'': At the end, when [[spoiler:the team finds out that because of the blood transfusion, Rex is as immortal as Jack]], Jack, Gwen and Rex let out three Flat Whats in a row. Doubles a CallBack to the ''Series/DoctorWho'' examples above.
* ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'': Jenna's reaction upon learning that John Gilbert is Elena's father.
* ''Series/WhiteCollar'': Once, Neal [[ItMakesSenseInContext is given tranquilizers and strapped to a bed]]. When Peter finds him, Neal's still in the bed (singing, no less) even though he freed himself a while ago.
-->'''Peter:''' We gotta get you out of these binds.\\
'''Neal:''' Oh, you mean these? ''(raises arms and straps fall to the floor)'' What.
* ''Series/TheXFiles'': In "[[Recap/TheXFilesS02E14DieHandDieVerletzt Die Hand Die Verletzt]]", Mulder admits that he agrees with a hick sheriff that a creepy woodland murder scene looks ritualistic, he simply didn't want to start a panic. Scully is Scully until she's interrupted by a rain of toads.
-->'''Mulder''': ''So... lunch?''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* Parson Gotti of ''Webcomic/{{Erfworld}}'', on Maggie [[http://archives.erfworld.com/Book+2/83 unexpectedly casting a suggestion spell on Stanley]] to make him leave the room and appoint Parson chief warlord.
--> '''Parson:''' Lolwut.
* ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'' uses this a lot, mostly by [[GlassCannon Black Mage]] and [[TheOmnipotent Sarda]] (the latter involving an incident that almost completely broke his brain).
** It's important to note that Sarda is the most powerful character in the comic (except for [[spoiler: Chaos. Who he turns into.]]) and downright omnipotent as well as [[spoiler:only about 30 seconds younger than the universe itself, and due to a StableTimeLoop has already experienced this same event from his younger self's perspective]]. He just had his mind broke by a character who managed to [[BeyondTheImpossible Dual Wield longbows with two arms]] ''twice'' resulting in wielding four bows, each with three arrows apiece loaded.
** The Lich reacts this way after Black Mage pulls a NotNowKiddo on him (discussing killing his son, Vilbert, right in front of him, on his own property, without even bothering to turn around to address Lich.)
* ''Webcomic/ExplorersOfSouls'':
-->'''Pikachu:''' I have no idea what you're going on about. Partners? Adventures? Sounds too tough for me. Plus, I don't even know who you are...\\
'''Mel:''' WAIT, WAT.
* ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'': Part of a RunningGag is that whenever something on TV mentions him in some fashion (the infamous "[=McNinja=] Burgers" from UsefulNotes/McDonalds, mayor Goodrich fingering him as the partner in the town's zombie defense system), the titular doctor will spend [[BeatPanel one brief panel]] staring at the TV in surprise and saying "What." in the next.
** Also, this is how Dan [=McNinja=] opens his tirade against the pirates in the bar he's hiding in, declaring his intention to burn the place down on the way out.
** A sort of extended variation of this trope is used for the doctor reacting to how Dan [=McNinja=] wound up on fire. "You. Lit. Yourself. On fire. ''Why did you light yourself on fire.''" Punctuated as it was in the comic.
** In the Army of One storyline, [[http://drmcninja.com/archives/comic/17p66 Doc's reaction]] to Franz Rainer defending himself against the [=McNinja=] clone horde, taking full advantage of the InverseNinjaLaw.
** And then there was that time the Doctor was shocked by his own [[http://drmcninja.com/archives/comic/15p26 improbable motorbiking skills]]. This time with no punctuation whatsoever.
* In ''Webcomic/HarkAVagrant'', Sucre [[http://harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=207 elicits one of these]] from Bolivar after suggesting that maybe they ''shouldn't'' be fighting for freedom all the time. Which, of course, is a completely incomprehensible idea to [[AttackAttackAttack Bolivar]].
* In the ''[[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick Order of the Stick]]'' "Snips, snails and Dragon Tales" segment where the members of the Order make up stories (read: Take famous stories from RealLife and parody them in a 3.5 context), Roy's retelling of ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' has Hamlet (played by Roy) utter this when the play he set up to make Claudius (played by Xykon) admit to his father's murder gets... Slightly derailed (The leader of the theatre troupe was played by Elan, and the rewrite went ''slightly'' OffTheRails).
* Mort the ghost from ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' does this one when Annie has her other undead friends scare the bejeebers out of him (as a roundabout way of apologizing) in [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=535 this]] strip. ([[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=534 This]] one is the setup for it.)
* Diane from ''Webcomic/IronCrown'' gets [[http://ironcrowncomic.com/comic/chapter-2-page-8 a nice one]] when she hears about traitors being the cause of the current mess she's in for the first time. One can only imagine she shares the same attitude her father (a dictator) has towards them.
* Mike of ''Webcomic/CollegeRoomiesFromHell'' has been known to use it.
* In ''Webcomic/TheLastDaysOfFOXHOUND'', [[http://gigaville.com/comic.php?id=377 Psycho Mantis' reaction]] to being told that [[spoiler: Berthold could talk. Being psychic and thus differently-brained, Berthold couldn't get through to him.]]
** Also, [[http://gigaville.com/comic.php?id=35 this strip]]:
--->'''Liquid:''' Say, huh... Why don't you levitate yourself up here? You can do that.\\
'''Psycho Mantis:''' Couple of reasons. First, it takes a lot of concentration, and getting blown up sort of threw me off a little. Second, there's a stalactite the size of a goddamned '''baseball bat''' lodged in my chest.\\
'''Vulcan Raven:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Stalagmite.]]\\
'''Psycho Mantis:''' What.
* Many webcomic artists attribute this to Ryan North of ''Webcomic/DinosaurComics''.
* Occurs in ''Webcomic/PicturesForSadChildren'' a couple of times.
* [[http://blankitcomics.com/2008/08/18/what/ This]] ''Webcomic/BlankIt'' comic is both named for, and delivers, upon Aric finding that the world contains an infinite loop.
* ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'' has a good one from [[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1481 Faye]].
** As well as [[http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1978 this one]] from Faye.
** Dale provides an excellent response to a CloudCuckooLander with one [[http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2550 here]].
** And [[https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2787 Marten to Tai]].
* Mike Warner of ''Webcomic/{{Shortpacked}}!'' had this reaction upon learning that [[http://www.shortpacked.com/2009/comic/book-10/04-hamalanche/what-2/ Amber had adopted a pair of hamsters.]]
* ''Webcomic/DumbingOfAge'' has one [[http://www.dumbingofage.com/ here]], as Joyce plans to hook her roommate Sarah up with her boyfriend's roommate Jacob.
* From [[http://dizzy.pestermom.com/?p=thcomic22 this]] installment of ''Webcomic/TouhouNekokayou'':
-->'''Eirin''': Yes, it tastes almost exactly like "Tewi is trying to get me and Mika to pull a prank."
-->'''Reisen''': What
** Used [[LampshadeHanging word for word]] [[http://dizzy.pestermom.com/?p=csa01marisa0386 here]].
* Here's a great one in ''Webcomic/HannaIsNotABoysName'', from the mouth of a [[http://hanna.aftertorque.com/?p=22 sassy bat.]]
** And also from the mouth of Conrad, who is [[http://hanna.aftertorque.com/?p=781 NOT invited to the party.]]
* Occurs in ''Webcomic/MountainTime'' when an onion sensei is asked about the [[http://mountaincomics.com/2009/09/28/aisle-5/ human status of Donna the Bears]], a woman whose mind is several bears.
* Since the protagonists of ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' are only connected through [=IMs=], bouts of confusion are common.
** [[OnlySaneMan Karkat]] says this several times in conversations with [[TheFool John]], [[TheHyena Terezi]], and [[TheStoner Gamzee]]. Also, [[https://www.homestuck.com/story/7379 this gem]]:
--->'''KARKAT:''' WHAT HAPPENED TO VRISKA? WHY IS SHE PASSED OUT ON THE FUCKING FLOOR?!\\
'''JOHN:''' because i punched her in the face.\\
'''KARKAT:''' WHAT
** Since Dave [[WantonCrueltyToTheCommonComma almost never uses punctuation]], ''all'' of his "what"s are flat.
** [[https://www.homestuck.com/story/8033 Another gem]]:
--->'''JADE:''' oh yeah by the way dave...\\
'''JADE:''' youre a pretty good kisser!\\
'''JADE:''' even when youve got cat lips ;)\\
'''DAVE:''' WHAT
* ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'': When Rue launches into yet another of her many {{conspiracy theor|ist}}ies, [[https://www.sleeplessdomain.com/comic/chapter-9-page-33 it prompts this response from a classmate.]]
-->'''Rue:''' The Daylight Update is more or less unofficial propaganda, y'know. They use it to control public perception of what we do. It turns our job into a facet of pop culture so it seems less serious.\\
'''Girl:''' ...What.
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' [[http://egscomics.com/?date=2010-06-23 has]] [[http://egscomics.com/?date=2010-09-22 it]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-02-18 as]] [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2011-12-15 a]] RunningGag.
-->'''[[WordOfGod Dan Shive]]''': I love it when characters say 'what.'
** Even in [[https://egscomics.com/comic/2013-05-01 Japanese]].
* From ''Webcomic/JohnnyWander'', we get [[https://web.archive.org/web/20091229184556/http://www.johnnywander.com:80/comics/35 this gem.]]
* ''Webcomic/ManlyGuysDoingManlyThings'' has [[http://thepunchlineismachismo.com/archives/398 this triple one.]]
* ''Webcomic/AwkwardZombie'' demonstrates the appropriate male reaction to the [[https://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic/a-passion-for-fashion Pokémon Musical.]]
* Alicia does one of these in ''Webcomic/GrowingUpGrunge''.
* The [[http://fancyadventures.com/2008/08/08/page-9/ revelation of the premise]] of ''Webcomic/TheFancyAdventuresOfJackCannon''.
* Nita's reaction to "THE AWESOME (untested) POWER OF YOGIC FLYING" in the ''Webcomic/ScaryGoRound'' SpinOff ''Giant Days''.
* In ''Webcomic/PepsiaPhobia'', [[http://gastrophobia.com/comix/2011-04-20.png Phobia's reaction]] to being told that [[spoiler:Philia is her and Klepto's daughter]].
* Avatar of ''Webcomic/FarOutThere'' does one in reaction to a [[http://faroutthere.smackjeeves.com/comics/1191539/page-348-i-was-not-prepared-for-that/ particularly flamboyant mad scientist]].
* Nick gets one in ''Webcomic/GeneralProtectionFault'' when Trudy accidentally slips [[spoiler: that she ''isn't'' the alternate universe self everyone thought she was.]]
* The nameless mercenary from ''Webcomic/FlakyPastry'' reacts appropriately to [[http://flakypastry.runningwithpencils.com/comic.php?strip_id=379 this]] rather... ''unconventional'' technique.
* Done hilariously by Zelda in [[http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/335/8/e/how_skyward_sword_should_have_ended___spoilers_by_metaknuckles-d4hvj7m.jpg this (spoileriffic!) fan comic]] of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword''.
* [[http://www.firmanproductions.com/?p=675 Strip #343]] of Michael Firman's ''Moe'', accompanied with an extra-large speech bubble for emphasis.
* In the "Crux's Climb" story arc of ''Webcomic/AMomentOfPeace'', Story asks Ito if he thinks she is happy sitting by the pool waiting for Crux, for which he answers "yes". [[http://www.amomentofpeace.net/?num=154 Apparently it wasn't the answer she expected.]]
* In ''Webcomic/SpareKeysForStrangeDoors'', Marion reacts to the arrival of [[spoiler:a unicorn]] [[http://sparekeyscomic.com/index.php?comic=20120628 this way.]]
* In ''Webcomic/DreamScar'', this is Vix's reaction to seeing [[http://dream-scar.net/?id=132 what happened to Ophelia]].
* This is ''Webcomic/AxeCop'''s [[http://axecop.com/comic/ask-axe-cop-69/ reaction]] when he enters [[Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia Narnia]] through a wardrobe... though it should be noted there's nothing special about magically entering a world with talking animals and fantasy creatures compared to what goes on in his comic all the time. In fact, his arrival [[http://axecop.com/comic/ask-axe-cop-70/ makes Narnia considerably weirder]].
* [[http://grrlpowercomic.com/archives/472 Page 86]] of ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'': After dealing with Sydney's skittishness for several pages, they finally find out what she's hiding in the tube on her back. Seven unmarked orbs float into the air and do nothing. Maxima looks at this and says "what." It's so much less than what everyone was anticipating.
* ''Webcomic/TwoKinds'' [[http://twokinds.keenspot.com/comic/648/ February 10, 2012.]] Mike insists that Keith -- a member of a race incapable of magic -- once transformed him into a girl.
-->'''Natani''': Wat
* ''Webcomic/{{Waterworks}}'': (mild spoiler) [[http://www.mspfanventures.com/?s=43&p=520 A particularly confusing conversation]] eventually [[http://www.mspfanventures.com/?adv=43&id=523 elicits this reaction]] from Slick after a couple of {{beat panel}}s.
* ''Webcomic/KiwiBlitz'' has [[http://www.kiwiblitz.com/index.php?id=152 this moment]].
* Schtein's reaction in ''Webcomic/StringTheory2009'' when he's been told that he's been assigned to the garbage duty at the prison.
* This is Megaman's catchphrase in ''Webcomic/{{Megamanspritecomic}}'', almost beginning each comic strip with a flat "what".
* The ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' tie-in webcomic "The Naked And The Dead" has Miss Pauling drop one when Soldier's fiancee Zhanna tells her to "stay away from [her] man" - in this case, because a) Miss Pauling is [[https://twitter.com/jaypinkerton/status/612113790750961664 confirmed lesbian]] by WordOfGay, and b) Soldier is so much of a ''[[CloudCuckoolander complete]] [[BloodKnight frickin']] [[AxCrazy lunatic]]'' that ''only'' the similarly unstable Zhanna would really be that interested in him. For bonus points, at the moment this is being said, Soldier is resting between waves of robots, which he has been fighting while naked and covered in honey, and [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext the only element that makes it make sense in context is that it's the Soldier doing it]].
* ''Webcomic/FirstContact'' does it on occasion:
** Being an InteractiveComic can lead to weird situations [[https://mspfa.com/?s=18418&p=39 like this]]
--->'''SISERA:''' So, Uriel, what brings you here to this lovely little offworld paradise?\\
'''URIEL:''' oh y'know just wanted to check out the sites, [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext lick an alien or two]], get my mack on.\\
'''SISERA:''' what
** [[https://mspfa.com/?s=18418&p=513 Also here]], when [[https://mspfa.com/?s=18418&p=507 Uriel notices Adam's lack of shirt]] and starts showing off his body too.
--->'''ADAM:''' this was totally worth getting my favorite shirt eaten by a giant bug.\\
'''URIEL:''' what
* Felix of ''Webcomic/PixieTrixComix'' demonstrates the trope [[https://pixietrixcomix.com/pixie-trix-comix/open-relationship here.]] Typically for this comic, the context involves somebody determined to go to bed with him.
* Joyeuse delivers two in quick sucession in ''Webcomic/{{Swords}}'' when she finds out that, per a past royal decree, since the Rapier Tapir defeated her in one-on-one combat while she was Queen of Hiltshire, he's taken her throne and is now the new king of Hiltshire.
* ''Webcomic/WelcomeToThePharmacy'': A non-verbal variation; Matt’s glasses go blank with a question mark above his head when Jessica mentions that she has the same problem he does where people assume she speaks Chinese because of her ethnicity - he had given Jean-luc the go-ahead to hire another employee ''because'' they needed someone who could help their chinese speaking clientele, and Jean-Luc sheepishly admits he found her so cute during the interview he completely forgot to ask her what languages she knows.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* Pick an image hosting site or image forum, ''any you can think of'', that allows people to tag the images. Search for any images labelled wat or what, and that's [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin exactly what it'll get out of you.]] Expect the results to cross over with NightmareFuel and/or NauseaFuel.
* ''Blog/CinnamonBunzuh'': Ifi's reaction after reading ''The Capture''.
* The "LOL WUT" meme.
** Alternatively, "Wat."
** In the long form, "what is this i dont even" (sic), additionally, "i'm 12 and what is this" is used in similar fashion.
** In the long''est'' form (verbose): [[DelusionsOfEloquence "I have become quite profounded from your previous statement, so much so that it has become quite humorous how abnormal the said statement is."]]
* The unofficial ''[[VideoGame/{{Aetolia}} Aetolia: The Midnight Age]]'' wiki has an entire page devoted to this trope [[http://www.ankyreanarchives.com/wiki/What here]].
* Pretty much the primary catchphrase of the ''Literature/{{Goosebumps}}'' series ReviewBlog ''Blog/BloggerBeware''.
* The [=RPGNet=] HiveMind is fond of "man what" (no punctuation) as a response to any completely brain-spraining statement.
** Notably inspired by and associated with (by those in the know) a certain photograph of Bob Marley in a state of absolute man what
** The hive mind seems to have determined it actually came as a response to [[http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=206199 someone discussing]] the Inferi from ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince''... to the tune of "The Happy Wanderer" (the "Valderie, Valdera" song). "In-fer-iiiii... in-fer-aaaaaaa..." The first post after that was a prematurely-launched post consisting entirely of "man what"
*** NOTE: The absence of a period at the end of the previous entry is entirely deliberate and proper. The phrase expresses such a profound and utter state of confusion that it ''eradicates'' any and all punctuation and grammar within a radius of one post.
* Inventing Swear Words 4 has a good example, right after Stag complains to the GM that every other class is more powerful with him, to which the GM responds with a "What." Made funnier by how Stag then demands that every class be nerfed except his, which is, without even a beat, followed by the GM teleporting him away.
* Very good one in The Fine Bros.' Kids React to Nyan Cat, at [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TQbDz6-4eM&feature=player_detailpage#t=181s 3:01.]]
* [[Website/DesuDesBrigade Vixen]] used this to describe a scene from ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena''. The scene in question has Utena jump down from a balcony, tear off her own dress to reveal her uniform, take a table cloth from a nearby table, then form a dress to cover her {{heterosexual life partner|s}} Anthy's WardrobeMalfunction.
* A staple in the commentaries at ''FanFic/TheClassicDoctorWhoTwitterBlog.'' Frequently goes hand-in-hand with "Wait." Lots of them.
* ''WebVideo/FreemansMind'':
** Freeman says this when he is confronted with [[spoiler:an elevator that finally goes up, but is blocked by boxes of explosives.]]
** Adrian Shephard in ''Shephard's Mind'' does this ''twelve times'' in response to unleashing a swarm of snarks.[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKVha8YqKWo And again:]]
--->'''Jon:''' I'd be down with a cool black star like that.\\
'''Emile:''' Actually, it's official name is [[{{Pun}} Ztar]].\\
'''Jon:''' ... What.
* The page quote is from Blog/MarkReadsTwilight, a truly insightful blog not for Twilight fans.
* On various image-sharing sites, "what" is used as a tag for bizarre, shocking, or absurd images, usually involving physical or anatomical impossibilities. [[strike:Most]] Nearly all examples will be {{NSFW}} at the least, so seek them out at your own risk.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bRRupLoijM Don't tell my dad!]]
* A very popular subject of {{Image Macro}}s.
* ''Roleplay/SurvivalOfTheFittest'': There was an infamous death in v2 involving SpontaneousHumanCombustion. Said character's post-game evaluation on the [[http://sotf.wikia.com/wiki/Caitlin_Evans wiki]] is, of course, one of these.
* [[Podcast/ThePenumbraPodcast Juno Steel]] is the queen of this trope.
* During the production of ''VideoGame/ASuperMarioThing'' on the talkhaus forums, this was LetsPlay/{{Raocow}}'s reaction upon [[http://talkhaus.raocow.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1028&start=150#p47900 discovering]] that {{Rule 34}} had been made of Demo (the main character of ''ASMT'' and Raocow's own creation; a female [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot demon alien minion]] with no arms, blue hair, and a face composed of a single giant eye).
* [[http://ursulav.deviantart.com/art/The-Biting-Pear-of-Salamanca-29677500 The Biting Pear of Salamanca]] (otherwise known as the "LOL WUT" pear), which probably deserves its own page.
* ''Smart Bitches, Trashy Books'' sometimes resorts to this, such as in a review of a (thankfully short) e-book called [[http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/blog/ravished-by-the-triceratops ''Ravished By the Triceratops'']] (NSFW, obviously}.
* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's review of ''Film/AloneInTheDark2005'':
--> '''N.C. (Through Speakonia):''' How did you get in here?
--> '''Spoony:''' I'm from the future.
--> '''N.C. (Through Speakonia):''' What.
** The same site's WebVideo/BumReviews give us this, from the review of ''Film/BurnAfterReading'':
---> '''Chester A. Bum:''' And at the end, something happens, but at the same time, nothing happens! What.
** [[http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/thatguywiththeglasses/nostalgia-critic/29922-return-of-the-nostalgic-commercials "You, your mate, and your Johnson."]]
*** A particularly good example is when he figures out the evil plan in Future 5.
** The Nostalgia Critic also does this in his review of ''Film/TheRoom2003''.
---> '''NC:''' Where are we?
---> '''NC of the future:''' The future!
---> '''NC:''' Okay, but... why are we downstairs in the basement?
---> '''NC of the future:''' Oh, it's the only place we can hide to stay away from the seahorses.
---> '''NC:''' Oh, okay.
---> ({{beat}})
---> '''NC:''' What.
** Then there's the Critic's reaction to the plot twist of ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNimh 2''...
* WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick made good use of this too when she reviewed ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeastTheEnchantedChristmas'', letting out three in quick succession:
--> '''Creator/TimCurry:''' They can't fall in love...[[{{Narm}} if they're DEAD]]!
--> '''Nostalgia Chick:''' What.
--> ''[cue noise and running around as the Tim Curry tries to kill Belle and the Beast through the [[ThePowerOfRock power of]] [[OminousPipeOrgan dramatic organ music]]]''
-->'''Nostalgia Chick:''' What.\\
''[The Beast throws a piano at organ!Tim Curry]''\\
'''Nostalgia Chick:''' What... EVER, ''please, for the love of God, END''!
* WebVideo/TheCinemaSnob got one in ''WebVideo/{{Kickassia}}'' when WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic revealed that yes, he really did order twenty tons of dynamite.
* Creator/AllisonPregler gave one in her review of "Fatal Deviation", when out of nowhere, with no bearing to the plot, there's a naked man in a cowboy hat taking a bath outside.
* [[WebVideo/WhatTheFuckIsWrongWithYou Nash]] uses it so often, it ought to be classified as one of his catchphrases. But then, considering the nature of his show's content, it seems natural.
* Used as a tag on the image site Danbooru for those images that make no sense whatsoever. A user was quoted as saying, "Does it make your brain shut down for a second when you see it? Then it's a 'what' picture."
** On some "booru" image sites there's also a "no seriously what" tag, for when "what" is not enough.
* In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO9q9M5Irl0 this]] review of SugarWiki/{{Eversion}} one reviewer has already written the game off as a generic ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' clone, when the second reviewer casually mentions 'and then there's your power to warp reality to your whims'. The first reviewer's response is of course 'What.'
* In Nakar's ''VideoGame/UltimaVI'' LetsPlay, during the parodic [[http://lparchive.org/Ultima-4-5-and-6/Update%2057/ "cannon"ical ending]], Draxinusom utters the [[StrangeSyntaxSpeaker Gargish]] version of this upon seeing something truly bizarre:
-->'''Draxinusom:''' To be saying what.
* On ''WebVideo/LoadingReadyRun'''s ''Daily Drop'' feature at Website/TheEscapist, the [[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/daily-drop/3289-Billy-the-Bass utter indestructibility]] of one object lead the captions to declare, "DOES NOT COMPUTE", "SERIOUSLY?" and finally the Flat What.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqGFMPy9x7c This video]] collects hundreds of these scenes from various webcomics.
* ''LetsPlay/LetsDrownOut'':
** [[VitriolicBestBuds Gabriel]] offers this reaction when [[Creator/BenCroshaw Yahtzee]] [[http://youtu.be/JGy-A9uVNsw?t=11m6s challenges him to observe, then explain]] one of ''VideoGame/CurseOfEnchantia'''s many surreal SolveTheSoupCans-type puzzles.
--->'''Yahtzee:''' "Okay, theories? That was the puzzle, by the way, we now have the sticks we needed."\\
'''*{{Beat}}.*'''\\
'''Gabe:''' "''What.''" \\
'''*Yahtzee laughs.*'''
** [[http://youtu.be/189YB3LURRQ?t=47m45s Gabe gets Yahtzee back]] when they review ''VideoGame/AdventuresInTheGalaxyOfFantabulousWonderment'', where Gabe gets to drop a mildly relevant non-sequitur into the discussion and derail Yahtzee's train of thought.
--->'''Gabe:''' I saw a special needs girl throw a goat on Friday.\\
'''*{{Beat}}.*'''\\
'''Yahtzee:''' What. Was that like a Mad Lib? \\
'''Gabe:''' No, no, this was a real thing that's happened in my life.
* This video, simply named [[https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/talks/wat Wat]], discusses creative Javascript typing. Wat ensues. (Peppered with pictures of Internet Wat Memes.)
* In the ''Staying Alive'' episode of ''Podcast/HowDidThisGetMade'', Paul Scheer is taking audience comments and has a Flat "What." reaction upon hearing that there was actually a ''Staying Alive Literature/ChooseYourOwnAdventure'' book.
* ''WebVideo/CinematicExcrement'''s response to the final battle in Breaking Dawn Part 2 [[AllJustADream turning out to be the vision Alice shows Aro]].
* WebVideo/JonTron has this reaction in the episode "Anti Drug Games":
-->'''Drug dealer:''' Take one hit and you'll do ''anything'' to cop more. Steal from your mama...\\
'''[=JonTron=]''': (''concerned'') H-Hey, man, did you get bit by a mosquito or somethin'...?\\
'''Drug dealer:''' (''now transformed into a snake man'') Do I look like the kind of guy who do that to a child like you?\\
'''[=JonTron=]''': [[SuddenlyShouting YOU LOOK LIKE A SNAKE!]]\\
'''Drug dealer''': YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!\\
'''[=JonTron=]''' : WHAT? WHAT THE ''FUCK''?
* In ''WebVideo/TheBoothAtTheEnd'' The Man, normally unflappable, has this reaction to learning that [[spoiler: Willem kidnapped and is keeping prisoner the girl he agreed to protect so he could "be the hero."]]
* [[WebVideo/{{Vinesauce}} Joel]] lets out a series of them in episode 9 of ''WebVideo/MemeHouse'' when a member of the chat points out that, according to his moodlet bar, [[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure Dio]] is [[MisterSeahorse pregnant]]. Thankfully, it was only a glitch.
* ''WebVideo/CampfireStories'': Brief but beautiful example in [[https://youtu.be/QtwCrILPDXw?t=292 this video]] where Mike and Zach [[ArmedFarces exchange amusing stories about gross incompetence in the military]], when Mike brings the conversation to a ''screeching'' halt by mentioning what happens when a Marine runs out of toilet paper.
-->'''Mike:''' Um, there wasn't enough toilet paper so what they used was... [[PainToTheAss fiberglass cloth]].[[labelnote:Explanation]]ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin--cloth made of long, woven strands of fiberglass. Horribly itchy when applied to skin, and can cause rashes and inflammation, and therefore the last thing you need to put near your poop-smeared butt in a desert.[[/labelnote]]\\
'''Zach:''' ''What.''
* WebVideo/Max0r's ''An Incorrect Summary of Metal Gear Rising'' has Raiden react this at several points, particularly to Armstrong's [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain motive rant]]:
--> '''Armstrong''': Imagine a world, Raiden, free of cancel culture! Where no one can call me out for my outlandish claims! A WORLD WHERE I CAN '''SAY THE N-WORD!'''\\
''({{Beat}})''\\
'''Raiden''': What.
* In ''WebVideo/TurntRed'', a YouTubePoop based on ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', this is Mei's reaction to a random shot of [[Franchise/ToyStory Buzz and Woody]] dancing.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* From ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' episode "The Ballad of Magellan":
-->'''Yakko:''' ''They sailed due west to the Philippine Islands / Magellan was pleased as the natives drew near /But then someone shouted''\\
'''Warners:''' I think they're attacking.\\
'''Yakko:''' ''Magellan said''\\
'''Magellan:''' What.\\
'''Yakko:''' ''And got hit by a spear''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': [[OnlySaneWoman Lisa Simpson]] often says this after witnessing the antics of her family, neighbors, etc. Notably, the episode "Bart's Inner Child" and motivational speaker Brad Goodman:
-->'''Brad Goodman:''' Young man, what made you yell out that remark?\\
'''Bart:''' I dunno...\\
'''Brad Goodman:''' You just wanted to... express yourself, yes?\\
'''Bart:''' I do what I feel like.\\
'''Brad Goodman:''' Why, that's marvelous! 'I do what I feel like'. Ladies and gentlemen... this little boy here is the inner child that I've been talking about.\\
''(cut to Lisa, who is wearing an expression of TranquilFury.)''\\
'''Lisa:''' What.
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'':
** Cartman gives one in "T.M.I." when he finds out that the school actually ''didn't'' post the boys' penis sizes.
** Cartman also does it in "Crack Baby Athletic Association" when Kyle proposes using 30% of the company's profits to build an orphanage for the crack babies.
** In the later seasons, the boys' FunctionalGenreSavvy (especially Stan) has reduced many of their reactions (to ever-increasingly improbable events) to "what." Sometimes they upgrade it to a deadpan "Dude, what the fuck."
* In the second season première of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', this is the reaction of The Monarch to escaping from prison through the sewers, grasping the arm of what he believes to be one of his henchmen, and finding that it is instead the arm of Doctor Venture (and that the rest of the doctor is elsewhere, due to a teleportation accident.)
* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003''
** The episode "[[Recap/TeenTitansS4E6Troq Troq]]". Cyborg and Starfire (well, Cyborg's doing the talking) inform Robin that "Troq" is a very offensive anti-Tamaranian slur (they had been assuming it was just a nickname, as they had all been given one). His Flat What is one of the few times it's ''not'' intended to be funny.
** Robin also gets a Flat What of the second variety in "Apprentice, Part One", as Slade is revealing his WeCanRuleTogether ploy. Like the first example, it's not very funny.
** In "Every Dog Has Its Day," when the Titans decide that what they really need to catch the alien dog-thing they're chasing (which has been constantly jumping on Comicbook/{{Raven}} and enthusiastically licking her every time it sees her) is "some bait". Raven gives the ''flattest'' "...what." you will EVER hear.
*** A few moments earlier, everyone thought the alien-dog was Beast Boy with PowerIncontinence. Then it burps up a car bumper.
---->'''Cyborg''': ...Oookay.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'''s fourth season premiere, "The Batman/Superman Story", ComicBook/LexLuthor can only manage a strained "''Whaaat''" when it becomes clear his plans have been foiled and Superman is hovering just outside of his HumongousMecha.
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' does this occasionally, such as when she finds out Monique is a huge wrestling fan.
* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', the gang is talking about some strange creature, and Aang simply gives a perfect flat "What."
** After Combustion Man blows up their campsite and starts a five-minute FullContactMagic brawl, Toph Beifong has just one thing to say:
--->"Well, that was random."
* ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead'': This trope is Butt-Head's immediate reaction to the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T3blDLl8JY music video for "Real American" by Rick Derringer]] (Hulk Hogan's WWE theme song), but once the video transitions from Hulk playing bass in front of the U.S. flag to clips of him in WWF matches, he and Beavis get excited.
* In a "Dial M for Monkey' cartoon on ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'', the Justice Friends say this after Rasslor's big melodramatic speech.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' Noah gives out one of these after watching the Japanese ''Total Drama Action'' promo.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Bender delivers this after being asked, [[ItMakesSenseInContext "Have you any idea how it feels to be a fembot living in a manbot's manputer's world?"]]
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'' give a flat "say what?" in "Him Diddle Riddle" when they find that they have gone through white heat solving Him's riddles only to fail the last one, and now the Professor will ''pay''... full price for a pancake breakfast. Even the ''narrator'' can't finish his [[OncePerEpisode "once again the day is saved" bit]].
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGummiBears'' pulled one or two. Gusto Gummi had carved a wooden statue of a Gummi Bear that artistically parodied the Statue of Liberty, then it promptly got devoured by a super termite. Cue "What."
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
** Spike, who really should be used to this sort of thing by now, gets one in the episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E13FallWeatherFriends Fall Weather Friends]]" when Pinkie Pie goes off on a tangent about how grudge rhymes with fudge while the two are announcing for a race.
** Lyra, upon learning in "Slice of Life" [[spoiler: that her best friend Bon Bon is actually Sweetie Drops, a secret agent of a monster hunting agent gone undercover by Celestia's orders after a bugbear they sent to Tartarus escaped]] could only respond with a series of these.
** In "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E15ScareMaster Scare Master]]", Fluttershy manages to induce one from ''[[GenkiGirl Pinkie Pie]]'' of all characters during [[FauxHorrific her first attempt to scare her friends]].
--->'''Fluttershy''': Pinkie Pie, look to your left and ask your best friend to pass the cucumber sandwiches.\\
'''Pinkie Pie''': Huh? I-I can't. There's nopony there.\\
'''Fluttershy''': That's right! Because she didn't care to show uuuuuup!\\
'''Pinkie Pie''': What.
** Pinkie's sister [[TheStoic Maud]] has this reaction when she learns that Pinkie gave up her party cannon to buy her a present. Surprisingly enough, it's not played for laughs.
** Princess Celestia gives a ''terrifying'' icy rendition of this in "A Royal Problem" after Starlight switches her and Princess Luna's cutie marks and very nervously explains that she can't switch them back till the spell wears off.
* On ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}},'' when she reads from [[TheSlacker Trent's]] journal of song lyrics.
-->'''Daria:''' "My heart is like an open wound/That reads the tea leaves of its doom." What. "Soothe me with redemption's love/Like a heat-proof kitchen glove." God, I hope this is a first draft.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': In "It Came From the Nightosphere", Marceline drops this after Finn says a [[InnocentInnuendo suggestive line]] about confronting her demonic father.
-->'''Finn''': I'm gonna take him down!\\
'''Marceline:''' Finn, you're like an ant to [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils him]].\\
'''Finn:''' Oh yeah? Well, ''this'' ant's [[HoYay about to get in his pants]].\\
'''Marceline:''' (''raises a quizzical eyebrow'') What.\\
'''Finn:''' ''(blushes)'' [[ThatCameOutWrong Well--I-you know!]] Because I'm going to make him uncomfortable while I release those souls!
* In the ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' episode "A Real Boy", Vanessa has this reaction when her father mistakenly says that he wishes he had a son instead of a daughter:
-->'''Dr. Doofenschmirtz:''' What? You're wearing headphones? So you haven't heard a thing I've said all day...\\
'''Vanessa:''' Why do you think I wear the headphones?\\
'''Dr. Doofenschmirtz:''' So you're not mad at me for saying I'd rather have a son than a daughter like you?\\
'''Vanessa:''' What.\\
'''Dr. Doofenschmirtz:''' Oh, nothing, nothing! Just... ''(puts the headphones back in Vanessa's ears)'' put these back on... there you go. ''(leaves)''\\
'''Vanessa:''' Whatever.
* ''Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy'': Princess Peach when Mario asks her if he can have a kiss after he rescues her.
* Used frequently on ''WesternAnimation/TheMarvelousMisadventuresOfFlapjack'':
** During the card game in "Kid Nickels":
--->'''Cap'n K'nuckles:''' Flapjack! What'd I tell you about using yer eyeballs?\\
'''Flapjack:''' ''What.''
** From "Fish Heads"
--->'''Cap'n K'nuckles:''' I aint' bustin' my back for no barber's nickel!\\
'''Flapjack:''' What.
* In the WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes short "Duck! Rabbit, Duck!", after WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck quips "I guess I'm the goat," Bugs holds up a sign reading "[[RunningGag GOAT SEASON OPEN]]", and Daffy delivers this kind of "What" right before getting shot by Elmer Fudd.
* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': In "Super Watermelon Island", [[spoiler:Peridot]] reacts with one of these while Steven and the rest of the Crystal Gems are discussing the consequences of some rather strange events she didn't witness (including a fusion and one rather unusual incident involving watermelons).
* A variation of this is one of ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck's'' catchphrases whenever something weird and/or stupid happens.
-->"...Oookayfine."
* In the season 1 finale of ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'', Magica [=DeSpell=] has weaseled her way into Scrooge's grounds in the guise of her niece, and spends most of the walk up to Scrooge's front door loudly boasting of the awesome final conflict brewing between herself, unfathomably powerful sorceress of the shadows, and Scrooge [=McDuck=], world's greatest adventurer, arch-nemesis and heroic figure of legend. Unfortunately, Magica is not aware that owing to a separate familial argument in the previous episode, Scrooge has been abandoned by his family, and subsequently is not in the best frame of mind for a battle:
-->'''Magica:''' At last, a vanquishing for the ages. A final clash between the Sorceress of the Shadows, and the world's greatest adventurer, Scrooge [=McDu=]--\\
''[Scrooge opens the door. Obviously deeply depressed, he is slovenly, gazing listlessly around and wearing nothing but a stained under-shirt. He scratches himself obliviously.]''\\
'''Magica:''' Wait, what.
* A crossover between ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'' and ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'' has Hordak explaining to Skeletor that the latter was involved in an incident involving the kidnapping of a baby (which he does not recall), that the baby is a traitor, and that the baby was a princess. All without much in the way of preamble or context. Skeletor's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBjhAqXg8MY baffled reaction]] is understandable, perhaps due to the worrying emphasis on 'baby' from Hordak. And yes, for someone as [[LargeHam prone to overacting]] as Skeletor, that ''is'' a flat response.
* Azakai gives one in ''WesternAnimation/{{Dragamonz}}'' after Dax tells Gorgor that he isn't evil when the latter tries to slam him into the ground.
[[/folder]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Film/PulpFiction "SAY WHAT AGAIN! SAY. WHAT. AGAIN. I DARE YOU! I DOUBLE DARE YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"]]]]

* Pretty much the primary catchphrase of the ''Literature/{{Goosebumps}}'' series review blog ''Blog/BloggerBeware''.

*** At the end of Jodi Whitaker's run, the Doctor's female incarnation regenerates into the earlier Tenth Doctor who delivers an increasily perplexed triplet of "What?"

* ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'': Izuku gives this response when the man he'd electrocuted by accident introduces himself as [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker]], who is [[ComicBooksAreReal supposed to be fictional]].

* In Music/{{Eminem}}'s "Just Lose It", he tells a male chorus to grab their left nuts to make their right ones jealous. This is their response.

* ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'' gave us a great one: Piccolo and Krillin use the Multi-Form technique to attack Nappa, but Nappa is still able to dodge their attacks. Piccolo ponders what kind of mental discipline Nappa had gone through to be so powerful, but Nappa is simply singing ''Patty-Cake'' in time to his attacks. Afterwards we get this:
-->'''Nappa:''' Good effort, but I'm still the patty-cake champion!\\

'''The High Evolutionary:''' They do not. Which is why, as I've done many times before, [[spoiler:[[CivilizationDestroyer I'm going to have to raze it all, and start again]]]].

-->'''Gary:''' Uh, what are we doing?
-->'''Chechen Leader:''' This jeep is filled with explosives! We're going to take their lives, and our own!
-->'''Gary:''' We're, we're gonna what?
* [[Creator/RobertRedford Joe Turner]] in ''Film/ThreeDaysOfTheCondor'' drops [[ClusterFBomb a few]] after [[spoiler: [[Creator/MaxVonSydow Joubert]] shoots CIA Deputy Director Atwood]] when Turner [[spoiler: confronts him in his home]].

* In ''Film/SpiderMan1'', this is Norman Osborn's reaction when the Oscorp board informs him they're selling.
-->'''Norman''': Costs are down, revenues are up, and our stock has never been higher.
-->'''Henry Balkan''': Wonderful news, Norman, wonderful. Matter of fact, it's the reason we're selling the company.
-->'''Norman''': What.

* ''WebAnimation/ElementsOfCringe'': Celestia has a deadpan 'what' reaction to [[BigBad Flame Majesty's]] demands that she turn him and his brony friends into their [[OriginalCharacter OCs]]. Considering this is one of their main motives for ''capturing The Elements of Harmony and launching an unprovoked invasion'' it's understandable.

* In the ''WebAnimation/ElementsOfCringe'' Celestia has priceless flat what reaction to [[BigBad Flame Majesty's]] demands to turn him and his brony friends to their [[OriginalCharacter OC's]]. Considering this is one of their main motives for ''capturing The Elements of Harmony and launching an unprovoked invasion'' it's understandable.

** PlayedforDrama with Tam Lin Lancelot/[[spoiler:Mélusine]]. Although she knows her mistress is a narcissistic monster, when Aurora asks her to take them both outside of the collapsing ruin of Faerie Britain and leave all the rest of its inhabitants to their horrible deaths, Mélusine's first response is a thoroughly despairing version of this with unusually WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises.

* Several characters in the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/SilverBlood'' demonstrate this reaction, usually to unexpected information. Brendan seems to be a particular cause for them, one notable example being when he [[spoiler: caught Domino off-guard by turning her attempt to fight into an impromptu dance with her.]]

** The Nostalgia Critic also does this in his review of ''Film/TheRoom''.

** Cameron Mitchell of ''Series/StargateSG1'' says "what" with varying inflections so often that he's been accused of using it as his CatchPhrase. Obviously, at least one Flat What has come up.

* An [[MemeticMutation infamous]] example stems from a RAW where Wrestling/MichaelCole, after Wrestling/JerryLawler was driven through a table by a rampaging Wrestling/MarkHenry, announcing that Lawler had several injuries and, "with all due respect... anal bleeding." Wrestling/BookerT 's expression for a split-second is priceless. It's one part "[[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon they]] actually cleared that line?" Another part, "[[Wrestling/MichaelCole he]] actually ''said'' that?", yet another part "WhoWritesThisCrap?", and yet another part "[[CatchPhrase Tell me...they didn't just say that.]]" Booker's thrown off so badly in he beginning that he could only utter one word. "What."

* [[WebVideo/WhatTheFuckIsWrongWithYou Nash]] uses it so often, it ought to be classified as one of his [[CatchPhrase catch phrases.]] But then, considering the nature of his show's content, it seems natural.

* A variation of this is one of ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck's'' {{Catch Phrase}}s whenever something weird and/or stupid happens.

* In ''Fanfic/FateRevelationOnline'' Johnny Black responds this way in a hint corner chapter when Gilgamesh says Johnny doesn't belong in the bad-guy hint corner.

And that's exactly how it's written, too: "what" with a period at the end.

** Suguha reacts this way when Kirito finally introduces himself in ''Alfheim Online'', letting her figure out that the Spriggan she was just [[TheRoleplayer roleplaying]] with as Princess Leafa is actually her much-ridiculed brother, Kazuto. [[SurpriseIncest Who she complimented for his "sweet patootie."]] ''Then'' she logs out and the ClusterFBomb begins.

* In ''Webcomic/GastroPhobia'', [[http://gastrophobia.com/comix/2011-04-20.png Phobia's reaction]] to being told that [[spoiler: Philia is her and Klepto's daughter.]]

* "What." You've just been witness to something so [[MindScrew bizarre]], so [[TheDitz eye-crossingly]] [[TooDumbToLive stupid]] (or possibly so mind-crushingly terrifying [[Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}} as to put you beyond the capacity for rational thought]]), [[SarcasmFailure that your brain no longer has the cognitive faculties to put together a more articulate response]].

* The best Flat What in history belongs to Kevin Spacey in ''Film/LAConfidential'' when Guy Pearce expresses doubts about the Nite Owl case.